Safety-boat



L. R. SNOWDEN.

SAFETY BOAT.

APPLICATION FILED 056.1. 1915.

1,195,863. menfedmlg. 22,1916.

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LESTER ROSELL SNOWDEN. OF GALESBURG, ILLINOIS.

SAFETY-BOAT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

I Patented Aug. 22, 1916.

Application led `December 1, 1915. SeriaI No. 64,533.

To all whom t may concern.:

Be it known that- I, LESTER RosnLL SnownnN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Galesburg, in the county of Knox and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Safety-Boats, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relatesto safety boats or vessels the object in view being to equip a boat of any size or general construction with novel and eiective means wherebythe boat is rendered comparatively safe in "that it is practically impossible to capsize or overturn the boat, the safety Vdevice as a whole being adapted to be folded into close relation to the sides of the boat so as not to occupy any unnecessary space. A plurality of boats equipped with the safety mechanism of this invention may be arranged side by side in the same space now occupied by the ordinary form of life boat. Neither will the safety mechanism interfere in the slightest with the launching of the boat by davits or any other launching mechanism now in use.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement herein fully described, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a plan view partly in section of a boat equipped with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings 1 designates a boat which is conventionally shown and which for the purpose of carrying out the present invention is provided adjacent to the opposite ends of the bow and stern thereof with compressed air tanks or reservoirs 2, said reservoirs being preferably housed entirely within the end portions of the boat and nnder the decks.

Arms or wings 3 are arranged to extend outwardly on opposite sides of the body of the boat A as shown by full lines in Fig. l said arms being also arranged to be folded inwardly as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. l so as to lie in close relation to the sides of the boat and not take up unnecessary room in the boat when not in use. Four of suoli arms are shown one set arranged at or near each end of the boat. The arms 3 of each set are preferably broad and flat in plan and -may consist of stout planks or boards, it being preferred to form the wings of buoyant material which will assist in preventing the sinking or overturning of the boat when heavily loaded.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention the inner ends of the wings 3 of each set are pivotally connected at 4 to the opposite extremities of a bar 5 either solid or tubular and extending through the sides of thehull of the boat so that the opposite ends thereof project sufficiently to enable the inner extremities of the wings 3 to be pivotally connected thereto on substantially vertical axes as shown. Each of the wings or arms 3 carries at the outer extremity thereof an inflated air tight l'ioat which is preferably in the form of a flexible or collapsible bag or sack, air being led thereto by oneof a plurality of air inating tubes 7 Which tube extends inwardly throughout the length of the wing and through the side of the boat and connecting and communicating with the adjacent compressed air reservoir. Each of the inflating tubes 7 is equipped with a valve 8 by means of which air may be admitted from the reservoir 2 to the inflatable float Y6 and cut off when the float has been fully inflated. V Y

Each wing 3 is controlled by means of a flexible cable 9 passing around a guide pulley 10 on the boat and fastened at one extremity to the respective wing 3 said cable being operable at the other end thereof to enable an occupant of the boat to either swing the wing inwardly or allow the same to be drawn outwardly by one of a series of coiled contractile springs 12 each secured at one end to one of the wings 3 and attached at its opposite extremity to the boat. Braces 13 connect the wings with the boat so as to hold the wings in a position substantially perpendicular to the keel of the boat7 each of said braces 13 being detachable at one end to permit the wings 3 to be folded or drawn inwardly by means of the ropes or cables 9.

After the boat has been launched, if desired the ropes or cables 9 are released and the wings or arms 3V are allowed to be drawn outwardly by means of the springs 12 and then held by means of the braces 13 in thel position shown in Fig. 1. The valves 8 are then opened and the floats 6 are inflated by means of the compressed air flowing from the air reservoir 2. The wings or arms 3 will of course be of a length proportionate to the size of the boat and will not only add increased buoyancy to the boat but prevent the capsizing or overturning of the same,

this eect being added to by the wings 3 which are of a considerable width and therefore act in the capacity of center boards to resist the listing of the boat.

In order to operate the flexible cables 9 and hold the arms 3 in their folded positions, the said cables 9 have their inner ends fastened to Winches 14C having fast thereon ratchet wheels 15 engaged by detents 16. To prevent the arms 3 from moving upwardly when in their operative positions, stay chains 17 extend from the outer end portions of the arms 3 to the hull of the boat to which they are attached at 18.

I claim 1. The combination with a boat, of wings pivotally connected thereto and adapted to swing outwardly to a position substantially perpendicular to the major axis of the boat, inflatable oats carried by the outer eX- tremities of said arms, compressed air storage means, intlating tubes connecting said floats with the compressed air storage means,

means for automatically swinging said wings to their operative position, and means for drawing said wings inwardly to a folded position.

2. The combination with a boat, of wings pivotally connected thereto and adapted to swing outwardly to a position substantially perpendicular to the major aXis of the boat, inflatable floats carried by the outer extremities of said arms, compressed air storage means, iniating tubes connecting said oats with the compressed air storage means, means for automatically swinging the said wings to their operative position, means for drawing said wings inwardly to a folded position, and braces for sustaining said wings in their operative position.

In testimony whereof I afx my signature in presence of two witnesses. y

LESTER ROSELL SNO'WDEN.

Vitnesses:

ADoLF FALLEN, JN0. Gr. YOUNG.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

